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    Abrams Falls

    4.5 (24 reviews)

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    Abrams Falls - Smokey Mountain National Park
    Chad V.

    Loved this hike! 5 mile round trip to falls through moderate up and down climbs. Some roots and rocks, a few log bridges and maybe a place or two with a slight scramble. If a hiker is in good shape, this is no problem. If not in great shape then can be challenging. That said, we passed by families with small children and more than a few grandparents. If planning the hike, trailhead is at the far eastern end of Cades Cove motor loop, which is a single lane, one way paved road. Can take a while to get in and out of during busy time as tourists drive slowly through the park and often pull on and off the road to see the sights.

    Frederick D.

    The fam walked in the direction of Abrams but turned around early. I decided to run the segment which took a little over 40 minutes to make the 5 mile trek. Definitely not at challenging at Chimney Tops but fun and worth the adventure. If you are sure footed at any speed you won't have trouble navigating it either.

    Abrams Falls
    Ashleigh P.

    An absolutely beautiful hike! Totally worth the time. Recommend getting there early to avoid the crowds. A more moderate hike that has a good mix of incline and decline.

    Abrams Falls
    Alyssa D.

    Go early!! Took about 3-3.5 hours round trip. We sat at the waterfall for a bit and had a snack. Lots of traffic heading in when we were hiking out around 1. Take water for your group. Trail was well marked and lots of up and downhill but everyone was able to do it without much trouble.

    Waterfall
    Chelsea S.

    Beautiful!!! Definitely worth the walk. Legs are definitely sore but we're not big hikers. It has sooo many awesome views and big enough that you're not walking all over people.

    Sharon E.

    Great waterfalls.. A good 2.5 mile hike to and fro.. Shallow waters near the waterfall where you can get down.. The hike is pretty good and the trail is a bit rocky and jagged.. So please don't think of hiking it with flip flops.. you will regret it.. Have few bottles of water even though the trail is mostly covered by trees.. There are couple of pretty steep climbs.. It is also pretty adventurous with bridges to cross.. made with a single log of wood and only support on one side.. Pretty much every where you can hear the rush of the river...

    Cades Cove
    Adrienne G.

    This was our first hike on our trip to GSMNP and it was one of the best! We started out by leaving Gatlinburg at 8 since the drive to Cades Cove is about an hour. Once in Cades Cove, the speed limit lowers to about 20 and the road is one way. If you get stuck behind someone going slower, just be patient and take in the views! We finally pulled into the Abrams Falls parking area at about 9:45. The lot was only 1/4 full so we knew, we would have most of the trail to ourselves. While the trail is well maintained and easy to follow, there are tree roots and rocks that you need to watch for or you can twist an ankle quite easily. The trail to the falls and back is about 5.2 miles. It is rated as moderate and will take the average person 3-4 hours to hike. As with most other hikes in GSMNP, I would suggest good hiking shoes and hiking sticks/poles. There are just too many roots and wet rocks to compete with. Anyways, the hike to the falls is quite scenic as you are making your way along Abrams Creek and up the ridges. We finally reached the falls and they were amazing! Out of all the falls we saw that week, this was the biggest. There are plenty of rocks to sit and have a snack. You can make your way up to the falls and get some great pictures. We hung out for a good 20-30 minutes just enjoying the sounds. On the way back, we came across a bear!! He came down the side of the mountain and walked across the trail just 15 feet in front of us. We stood back, stayed quiet and let him pass. There is a lot of literature that tells you how to react to bears in the park. Obviously, the people who came up behind us as the bear was passing, had not read this literature. The started yelling and clapping at the bear. Ugghh. Be smart people, don't startle the bear!! Once we got back to the parking area around 12:45, it was packed! This is definitely a popular, beautiful trail and I would suggest getting there early if you want a quiet, enjoyable hike.

    Paisley T.

    Cute hike and falls. The trail is up and down along the way so be prepared for mild elevation changes round trip. If you are an experienced hiker, this will be an easy hike. There were many little ones along the trail hiking with ease so feel comfortable bringing your kids. They will enjoy crossing the log bridges over water. Use caution at the end if you try to play in the water. It looked very murky and foamy and dirty from all the hikers food/spoils. I can't believe how many people dived into these waters. The falls are only about 20 feet high but overall this a cheery hike and a safe bet for all the family to enjoy at any experience level.

    Zsa L.

    This was the most exhausting hike we ever did in gatlinburg. I under estimated the difficulty of this trail. It's listed as moderate but it's definitely more difficult than that. Please be aware of the rocky trails and the incline. You can easily trip over the rocks and the roots on the ground. The incline can make your heart pump 200 beats per minute. Take a moment to rest. Don't wear flip flops and make sure you bring plenty of water. I saw one old lady with a cane at the starting point. This trail is NOT as easy as you think. The only restroom is located at the starting point of the trail. So empty your bladders! Watch out for black bears. They do come up to the trails. The fall was pretty but by the time I made it, I was exhausted. I couldn't enjoy it because all I kept thinking was I had to hike my way back to the starting point :/

    Daniel R.

    This is a solid 2 hour hike (round trip), and that's without kids. But it's well worth it once you get to the Falls! Absolutely beautiful view tucked away in Cades Cove. While we were hiking, we passed several people saying they had just seen a bear on the trail, so always be cautious in this area. Difficulty of the hike: moderate...definitely some inclined along the way but not too bad.

    You will find this along the drive to Cades Cove. Look for a parking area just prior to a small overpass.
    Richard R.

    I like to refer to this waterfall as Little Niagara. If you decide to follow the 2.5 mile trail here, you'll see why. THE DRIVE Located inside the picturesque old pioneer village known as Cades Cove, this is one gem of a waterfall. The drive from the Sugarland Visitor Center to the Cades Cove entrance is about 40 minutes if there are no slowdowns in traffic. However, it is likely you will stop several times before making it to Cades Cove because of beautiful photo opportunities along the way. On a day after a heavy rainfall, sporadic waterfalls will appear in a variety of locations. We just can't get enough of these wonders of nature and will stop often. A great spot to pull over is where Little River Road crosses the river (about half way to Cades Cove). Look for the parking area and overlook to the left just before crossing the bridge. The river elbows at the base of the bridge creating a mighty rushing sound as all it's power flows over the drop in elevation and creates a cool whirlpool. Truly spectacular. The road will veer left and change names to Laurel Creek Road, which will take you directly into Cades Cove. Once inside the Cove, you will circle the 11 mile loop as your eyes take in a wonderful flat valley full of deer that absolutely seem to know they are protected. They often stroll in front of your car giving you a look that seems to say "Hit me, I dare you!" LOL! Marvel as mountains seem to suddenly rise up directly from prairies without warning. The mountains here are tall enough to have snowcaps in the Winter and early Spring. Almost exactly half way through the loop you will see a turn-off for Abram falls on the right along a gravel road. Parking is plentiful, but can get crowded in the popular seasons. THE TRAIL Of all the trails we've hiked in the Smokies, this is one feels like you are walking along the lines of an EKG chart. One moment you are walking directly next to the river, and the next you are 120 feet above it, and then back down again. It's rated as moderate, but I honestly don't know where they get these ratings, because this trail will wear you out! I had the pleasure of carrying my (then) 7 year old the full 2.5 mile distance back from the falls because his "legs stopped working." I was friggin' exhausted, but my wife thought my effort was heroic and sexy and ... well... that alone had it's benefits. Ka-Chow!!! The trail leads you over 3 log bridges and at it's highest point crosses you over the jagged peak of a mountain ridge so high up you don't hear the rush of the river anymore. I'd say at this point you are a little over half way there. Here is a great opportunity to pick up lots of small flat stones that look perfect to make arrows, or at least pretend they were once arrowheads of Indians. SIDE NOTE: Little boys get a huge kick out of this section of the hike with a little imagination encouragement. THE FALLS Once you arrive, you will know it. The falls are glorious, but because of the curve of the trail, they remain hidden from your view until you are only 50 yards away... but what a sight! The waterfall and creek were named after a Cherokee Chief whose village once stood several miles downstream. It is HIGHLY DISCOURAGED to swim here or climb the wall of stone nearby to reach the top of the falls. Yet that never seems to stop large groups of families from doing just that. I must admit I share in some of the guilt of being a rule breaker, but we have been fortunate enough not to turn into a statistic. I could honestly spent the entire day camped out along the rocky shore and we often do. Some sections of the water near the shore are calm pools that have little to no current and are moderately safe (in my opinion). But it is best to heed the warnings, because several deaths have happened here. BE SURE to backpack in a lunch, especially if you have little ones in tow. It is a very tiring walk and many, many people enjoy picnicking here once they've arrived. Just remember to backpack out your trash. You do not want to encourage Black Bears to come here looking for scraps of food. VIDEO I love this families video of their hike to the falls. As a dad, it inspires me to take up videography: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfLl8ARfr-s The ridge I described in my review where you cross over from one side of the mountain to the other is at about the 2:58 minute mark. THE VERDICT Abram Falls has the highest volume of water flow of any waterfall in the GSM Nat'l Park, which easily makes it one of my favorites. The drive to get here and all the things to see once you arrive in Cades Cove makes it my BEST recommendation for outdoor activities when visiting the Smokies. You'll want to come back here again and again. --------------- - - - - - Trail Location: Cades Cove Roundtrip Length: 5.0 Miles Total Elevation Gain: 340 feet Highest Elevation: 1710 feet Trail Difficulty Rating: 5.68 (moderate) Yelp100 [34]

    Kristin M.

    Came on this hike during our drive through Cade's cove. It was the most difficult hike we did during our stay in Gatlinburg. Make sure you wear good shoes, bring water, and watch your step. The trails can get pretty rocky. I saw one girl attempting to do it in flip flops. Don't do that. It took us about two hours to get there and two hours to get back. It was beautiful and worth the hike, just be prepared.

    Abram's Falls

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    Review Highlights - Abrams Falls

    Make sure you wear good shoes, bring water, and watch your step.

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    The Sinks - The Sinks in its glory.

    The Sinks

    4.9(37 reviews)
    11.9 mi

    I never met a waterfall that I didn't like. We did a driving tour along Little River in Great Smoky…read moreMountains National Park to see if we could spot some wildlife. The Sinks is a lovely waterfall along the river. There is a small parking lot with about a dozen spaces where we found parking. An observation area is a short walk from parking. A sign describes the area and that the falls were manmade. During the late 1800's the river was used to transport logs/timber to the nearby town of Elkmont. After a storm, flood waters caused a jam in the river. Dynamite was used to restore water flow. The blast resulted in a twist in the river and creation of the waterfall. A set of stone steps leads up a hill, offering lovey views of the falls. There are dozens of waterfalls in the Park. Sinks is one of the few that is drivable, which is great for people that cannot hike. I picked up a Waterfalls map at the visitor center that I found interesting and informative. Parking passes are required to park in the lot. There are no amenities at the falls. Plan 15-30 minutes for a stop and photos.

    The Sinks is such a fun outdoor experience! Our boys, ages 11 & 13, loved it! The parking is not…read moregreat though, with only about 15 spots in the parking lot and nowhere else to go. It's super busy in the summer, so just be prepared for that. We had to wait about 15 minutes for someone to leave so we could park. That wouldn't keep us from going back, though.

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    The Sinks
    The Sinks - Observation patio

    Observation patio

    The Sinks - View from path to the platform.

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    View from path to the platform.

    Spruce Flats Falls

    Spruce Flats Falls

    4.5(6 reviews)
    10.0 mi

    Beautiful short hike that is around 2 miles total roundtrip in Townsend near the Smoky Mountains…read more A lot of uphill climbing, but worth it for the waterfall. When we were here this trail was still quite crowded and parking was limited/hard to find so be mindful of that. Otherwise, it's a beautiful site to see.

    Looking for short, less populated, but still fabulous waterfall hike while visiting Gatlinburg or…read morethe Great Smoky Mountains? This is it!!! SPRUCE FLATS FALLS is a very short hike that begins at the Great Smoky Mountains Institute @ Tremont. The waterfall trail begins at the exact same point as the Lumber Ridge Trailhead, but the Lumber Ridge Trail goes left while the Spruce Flats trail goes right. The trail is easy to follow for the most part due to the Institute providing additional signs along the way to help guide you. Various hiking websites have differing difficult ratings as well as differing distances to the falls. My personal hiking experience would rate this as mildly moderate and the distance, according to our tracking systems was around .8 miles to the falls for a grand total of about 1.6 miles round trip. ~ MILDLY MODERATE HIKE The distance is easy, and while there are some steep uphill and downhill sections, my heartrate was never elevated to the point of heavy breathing. Experienced hikers would likely rate this trail on the harder side of an easy scale, primarily because of the difficulty of the terrain. It is heavily laced with exposed tree roots and/or embedded with jagged stones making it important to watch your step and balance. ~ OUR EXPERIENCE Our primary reason for visiting the Smokies was to hike Mount LeConte, which we successfully did the day prior to hiking here to Spruce Flats Falls. LeConte is a beast of a hike with an elevation gain of just under 2,900 feet over 5.5 miles. Comparatively, Spruce Flats Falls trail was a delight, but our legs were still extremely sore from our LeConte hike! The pain made our this hike less joyful, but each painful step was well rewarded with a gorgeous waterfall. Our group included myself, an experienced hiker, a grandmother (64), two single moms (29 & 31), their two kids: Adorable 3 year old Jojo and 10 year old Zeke + my yelp daughter Jess (30). My wife was still sore from the LeConte hike and opted to stay back in Gatlinburg. *** LET ME JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY HOW INCREDIBLE MOTHERS ARE!!! Little 3-year-old Jojo's mom carried her probably more then 1/3rd of the hike, particularly over some of the tougher terrains and didn't break a friggin' sweat!!! I carried her tiny 30 pound body up one of the steeper parts of the trail for about 5 minutes and thought I was gonna die! Jojo's 64 year old grandmother who does not hike at all handled the trail like a champion, even leading the way on occasion. Truthfully I was worried by some of the hiking reports for this trail saying it may be difficult for children, seniors and inexperienced hikers, but our group had all of those and it was not a problem. PLUS it had been raining most of the morning (wetting the trail) and continued with a light dewy drizzle most of our hike. ~ FINAL THOUGHTS Yep, my group included three generations of women on a rainy, misty Saturday and we all had a great time! The falls are beautiful! One of the more beautiful ones I've seen in the area, but hard to see in full from the base. This is definitely a waterfall where the pictures are best if you have a drone that can capture it's full grandeur. My difficulty scale: 0 = no effort required 1-3 = easy 4-6 = moderate 7-9 = difficult 10 = extremely difficult WATERFALL ATTRACTIVENESS: 8 out of 10 OVERALL DIFFICULTY: 4 out of 10 (mostly because of terrain) OUR TRACKING DISTANCE: 1.6 miles round trip from parking area across from the Institute @ Tremont. 2020 / 68

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    Spruce Flats Falls
    Spruce Flats Falls
    Spruce Flats Falls

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    Foothills Parkway

    Foothills Parkway

    5.0(1 review)
    8.2 mi

    There are many beautiful scenic drives in this part of Tennessee and I'd be amiss to try and pick a…read morespecific location to say "this is the best of the best", but I can say with certainty that just calling this a typical scenic drive is an understatement, this drive is nothing less than amazing. It's always nice when you have a mountain to yourself but an entire mountain range to yourself is incredible - ok I must be honest I did see a few other vehicles as I made my way through the switchbacks and steep climbs and descents but they were far and few between. Most were motorcycles doing that bionic lean as they navigated the many curves on this beautiful day. I was very fortunate to discover this place while out exploring in my Jeep which is probably the second best mode of transportation to experience this drive, the wind in my hair and sucking in the good ole mountain air was nothing less than therapeutic. There are many amenities along the way including spacious pullouts, over-looks and an endless number of hiking trails. Hopefully if your planning to take the ride across this parkway you come prepared to fully experience it - hiking shoes, water and a few snacks will enhance your visit. As I researched this area prior to arriving I read several notes claiming this was "The Top of Tennessee" I can't say I know the exact topographic significance of this particular drive but I can tell the beauty crosses the horizon and there were many breathtaking moments. I certainly recommend bookmarking this location while liking my review and photos lol - seriously it's worth your time...

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    Foothills Parkway
    Foothills Parkway
    Foothills Parkway

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    Little River Outfitters - Little River Outfitters in Townsend, Tennessee

    Little River Outfitters

    5.0(12 reviews)
    8.8 mi
    $$

    Little River Outfitters is a bit of a hidden gem. We decided to visit while we were staying in…read moreGatlinburg, since I've gotten the itch to get back into fly fishing after a 20+ year hiatus. Dennis welcomed my wife and I as soon as we walked in the door and after I explained my situation and target types of waters he took me straight to the perfect affordable setup. He expertly answered my questions and refrained from trying to upsell me to the readily available much more expensive options. Once we'd made our choices he left us to wander the store browsing. In the end I walked out with a nice rod and reel combo, a few extra leads and tippets and a big smile on my face. If you a tired of the big stores where they treat you more like money bags than fellow anglers, check out Little River Outfitters. It's well worth the drive and the personal and very knowledgeable service.

    First of all, this shop is AMAZING!!!!!!! I am 10 years old just starting fly fishing and fly tying…read morethey are very very nice, respectful, and knowledgeable! They gave me a bunch of stickers and even fly tying materials! And even a trout stuffed animal and they put Velcro on it so I could practice casting!!!! They were very kind to me and my dad VERYY GOOD SELECTION from reels and rods to fly tying materials they have benches and fly vises and bobbins and tools very good selection honestly they have whole floor of fly tying materials and a trout hatchery very good prices too!!!!!! Over all just a great shop with amazing employees!! I love em and can't wait to go back

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    Little River Outfitters - Outside the store

    Outside the store

    Little River Outfitters - Inside the store

    Inside the store

    Little River Outfitters - Fly making station

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    Fly making station

    Walker Sisters Place - Walker Sisters house

    Walker Sisters Place

    5.0(2 reviews)
    14.4 mi

    Great hike in a wonderful location that still keeps you close to civilization. Many other places…read morethroughout the park offer incredible experiences but if you are looking for a short trek that full of beauty and history this is a hike worth taking.

    This is a very remote property located along the Little Brier Gap Trail, about 1.5 miles from the…read moreLittle Greenbrier School. It is only accessible by foot. The site contains a house, corn crib or barn and springhouse built in the mid-1800s. The buildings are the last remnants of the Little Greenbrier Community and were occupied by the Walker Sisters until the 1960s. Although the hike to the property is fairly easy, this spot does not attract as many visitors as others in the park and as a pleasant result you can find more solitude and tranquility here than other places you may visit. It is hard to imagine what life must have been like for the women who lived here. A tour of the interior of the house will leave those of us used to creature comforts thankful for all we take for granted. The grounds provide ample spots for taking a break, stretching out and relaxing. There are no restrooms, water stations or amenities of any kind available here. The hike to the Walker Sisters Place for the most part follows an old road and is easy to navigate. Just before the turn to the property, a narrow footbridge allows you to cross the stream. The sounds of running water, scurrying critters and the leaves rustling in the wind can make you forget that just a few miles away there is a park road teeming with traffic and other visitors. We hiked after lunch and it made for a perfect afternoon. We met a few people on the trail as we hiked in, but there were only three or four other people at the house when we arrived. This is a great family hike. We managed well with a 3 and 5 year old, although some piggy back rides were needed on the return trip.

    Photos
    Walker Sisters Place - Walker Sisters 1800s corn crib

    Walker Sisters 1800s corn crib

    Walker Sisters Place - A narrow footbridge crosses the stream along the Little Brier Gap trail just before you reach the Walker Sisters Place

    A narrow footbridge crosses the stream along the Little Brier Gap trail just before you reach the Walker Sisters Place

    Walker Sisters Place - A look into history awaits at the Walker Sisters Place

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    A look into history awaits at the Walker Sisters Place

    Abrams Falls - hiking - Updated May 2026

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